How to read a CRA notice

This page is a public educational walkthrough. It is not a retainer, a court form, or a promise about your result. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.

1. Read the notice type and the tax year

   A notice of assessment is not a requirement to pay a third-party invoice. Match the year to your return.

2. Find the deadline printed on that notice

   Objection and payment dates are short. Our Income Tax Act page does not extend them.

3. Compare the numbers to the return you filed

   Keep the notice and the return together.

4. Objections are filed with CRA, not with Know The Law

   Use the official objection process CRA publishes for that notice type.

5. A collection call about tax is still not a court judgment

   But CRA has its own collection tools. Read the notice before you ignore it.

Official law on this site: tax-law.

Disclaimer: Know The Law publishes legal information for the public, not legal advice. Court forms, fees and filing channels change. Read the official statute text and the official form page linked from this guide before you act. We do not represent you and we do not file documents for you. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.